Thursday, November 25, 2010

Pasig City, November 25, 2010 - Pledges from leading figures from the private sector, the government, non-government organizations (NGOs) and the academe to scale up and accelerate electric vehicle development were made during the conclusion yesterday of the country’s first electric vehicle summit.

“The summit ended on a full charge, with robust plans, new alliances and investor interest. This gathering was about solutions and all representatives from the public and private sector contributed positively, from titans of local industry to jeepney driver associations,” Red Constantino, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, said.

Gia Ibay, climate change head of the World Wide Fund for Nature, which co-organized the event, says, “Harnessing the potential of the market is critical to the country’s response to the climate crisis. Sustainable transport is a key component that can greatly help manage climate change risks and at the same time contribute to the development goals of the Philippines.”

Aiming to craft a long-term road map for the electric vehicle industry, the two-day summit garnered support from over 250 participants from national agencies, city governments, banks and businesses, civil society groups and international industry associations. The summit took place at Meralco, which helped put together the meeting.

Meralco president Manuel Pangilinan opened the event followed by Vice President Jejomar Binay, who delivered the summit’s keynote speech.

“The market for electric vehicles in the Philippines is big enough for all. In Mindanao, the potential is particularly promising,” notes Ariel Torres, CEO of Alternative Modern Transport, a summit sponsor.

Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Aristotle Batuhan opened the event’s second day, which tackled regulatory and financing issues, along with challenges posed by battery development and charging stations. #